Envelope

ABSTRACT

A combination envelope especially for use to deliver processed photographic negatives and prints from the processor to the customer, the envelope having a separable pocket for later use in filing the negatives.

Umted States Patent 1 1 1111 3,718,276 Vandergrift et al. 14 1 Feb. 27, 1973 [5 ENVELOPE 3,030,004 4/1962 Pieromek eta]. ..229 72 [75] Inventors: Don w. vandergrm, Roanoke; 875,636 12/1907 Tubbs ..229/72 UX David E secrist Troutvme both of 900,751 10/1908 Lockwood ..229/72 UX Va 2,135,865 11/1938 Winokar ..229 72 ux 3,315,878 4/1967 Hiersteiner ..229/72 [73] Assignee: Double Envelope Corporation,

Roanoke Primary Examiner-Davis T. Moorhead [22] Filed: May 27, 1971 Att0rneyFredrick W. Turnbull 121 App]. No.: 147,513 [57] ABSTRACT 52 U.S. c1 ..229 72 A cmbinatin envebpe especially deliver [51] Int. Cl. ..B65d 27/08 Processed Photographic negatives and Prints from the [58] Field of Search ..229/72, 75, 76 Processor to the customer, the envelope having a separable pocket for later use in filing the negatives. [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1960 Whitman ..229/72 3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures ENVELOPE It has become customary to return processed photographic negatives and prints thereof in a dual pocketed envelope, one pocket to receive and hold the prints, and another shallower pocket to hold the processed negatives. In other instances, two envelopes are provided, one for the prints and another for the negatives.

While the single two pocketed envelope is satisfactory in so far as the photographic processor is concerned, as it requires only the one envelope which may have the prints and negatives readily inserted in the appropriate pockets, the customers find the use of seperate envelopes preferable as, upon receipt of the processed material, it is usual for the customer to wish to store the negatives in a file, but to carry the prints in his pocket or mail them to a fried or relative.

It is a primary object of this invention to supply a single envelope to provide both of these parties.

It is a further object to supply a single inexpensive envelope incorporating two serviceable pockets such that the pocket to contain the negatives may be severed from the pocket to contain the prints, which latter forms a complete envelope which may be used to mail the prints to a friend while the negatives are retained in the protective pocket for further prints to be made and for file.

Other and further objects and advantages will appear from the following specification taken with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters denote like parts in the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the completed envelope.

FIG. 2, is a view of the blank from which the envelope is formed.

FIG. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

The complete envelope is seen in FIG. 1, and the blank from which it is formed is shown in FIG. 2. For the sake of clarity, the closure flap will be considered to be at the top of the envelope, and the solid rectangular panel 12 will be considered to be the back of the envelope.

All of the parts of the envelope and their relative positions when assembled can be seen in FIG. 1. It will be seen that the two end flaps 14 and 16 folded at fold lines and 17, overlie back panel 12. A front panel 18 is folded up on fold line 19 to overlie back panel 12 and is adhered to end flaps 14 and 16 by adhesive areas 24 and 26 to form a first envelope pocket to receive photographic prints. Whether the adhesive is placed on panel 18 or on flaps 14 and 16 is not material.

Further panels 20 and 22 forming a back and a front panel, respectively, of a second envelope pocket are formed as an extension of panel 18 and these two panels, when folded along fold line 23 and secured together at, or along one edge by adhesive 28, form said second pocket open at the top and at one end to receive photographic negatives. While both ends of the second pocket may be closed, the preferred embodiment contemplates the pocket being closed only at one end. The adhesive 28 may be placed on panel 22 instead of on panel 20 if it should be found in practice to be preferable.

The fold line 21, by which the pocket 20, 22, is secured to the envelope, is preferably a line of weakness such that after receiving the prints and negatives from the processor, the customer may readil sever the pocket 2 22, holding the negatives from e pocket 12, 18, holding the prints.

An adhesive area 30 may, of course, be provided on closure flap 10. This flap 10 may be of sufficient length, if desired, to enclose the pocket 20, 22 which may be shallow enough to leave an area of panel 18 exposed so that the closure flap 10 could be sealed to the panel 18 while enclosing the pocket 20, 22 and its contents. It is preferred, however, to have closure flap 10 of sufficient length to overlie the top open side of pocket 20, 22, but not to be of excessive length which might render the stuffing of the prints and negatives into the envelope more difficult.

In use at the film processing plant, the envelope of the present invention, as seen in FIG. 1, would be held in the left hand with the top of the envelope facing toward the right. The prints would then be inserted in the pocket 12, 18 and the negatives in pocket 20, 22. The packet is then complete and ready for delivery.

Upon receipt of the envelope and contents by the customer, the packet may be handled as a unit, precisely as the known two pocket envelope would necessarily be, or the pocket 20, 22 may be seperated from panel 18 to provide all of the conveniences that accrue from the known use of two seperate envelopes.

Any desired printed matter or indicia may, of course, be placed on the envelopes.

Having thus disclosed our invention, we claim:

1. An envelope comprising a generally rectangular back panel, a closure flap secured by a fold line to said back panel, side flaps folded over said back panel, and a front panel secured by a fold line opposite to the closure flap to the bottom edge of said back panel and adhered to said side flaps to form a first envelope pocket, a second envelope pocket comprising a back panel and a front panel formed of an extension of the said front panel of said first envelope pocket by a fold line along the top edge thereof, the back panel of said second envelope pocket being secured by a fold line to the top edge of said front panel of said first envelope pocket, said second envelope pocket being closed at at least one end by an adhesive connection between said front and back panels of said second envelope pocket.

2. The envelope of claim 1, in which said fold line along the top edge of said front panel of said first envelope pocket is a line of weakness.

3. The envelope of claim 1, in which said second envelope pocket is of less length and depth than said first envelope pocket. 

1. An envelope comprising a generally rectangular back panel, a closure flap secured by a fold line to said back panel, side flaps folded over said back panel, and a front panel secured by a fold line opposite to the closure flap to the bottom edge of said back panel and adhered to said side flaps to form a first envelope pocket, a second envelope pocket comprising a back panel and a front panel formed of an extension of the said front panel of said first envelope pocket by a fold line along the top edge thereof, the back panel of said second envelope pocket being secured by a fold line to the top edge of said front panel of said first envelope pocket, said second envelope pocket being closed at at least one end by an adhesive connection between said front and back panels of said second envelope pocket.
 2. The envelope of claim 1, in which said fold line along the top edge of said front panel of said first envelope pocket is a line of weakness.
 3. The envelope of claim 1, in which said second envelope pocket is of less length and depth than said first envelope pocket. 